Do You Drive Distracted?

WASHINGTON--April 18, 2013: What distracts
you while you're driving? Your cellphone? A coffee cup
that just spilled? Your commuter conversations?

More adults are admitting they drive distracted even though they know
it's wrong.* And the statistics bear that out.
According to National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving
fatalities are on the rise, accounting for more than 3,300 people
killed
in 2011. Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that texting
creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not
distracted.

During April, National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, GEICO
is calling attention to several recommendations to help drivers and
their passengers get to their destinations safely.

Turn off cellphones and other electronic devices and put them out
of
reach before starting to drive. No texting while
you're driving.

Set the example for passengers and young drivers by not driving
distracted.

If your driver uses a cellphone, offer to make the call so the
driver
can direct full attention to driving.

Plan ahead and eat any meals before driving.

Attend to any personal grooming before driving.

Always wear your safety belt as this is your best defense against
unsafe drivers.

A number of GEICO offices are also hosting community events to raise
awareness about the dangers of distracted driving during April. In
Virginia Beach, GEICO is sponsoring a party for a local high school
that
earns the highest percentage of student pledges during
GEICO's Distracted
Driving Pledge Contest. And in Woodbury, N.Y., associates are
visiting local high schools to discuss the risk of distracted driving
among teens.

In addition, GEICO-sponsored NASCAR driver Casey Mears is working
with
DRIVE SMART Virginia during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in
Virginia to speak out about the hazards associated with distracted
driving.